Health chiefs in the city have commissioned a study to decide whether it should get the go-ahead.

The unit will be based in the community and offer women in labour gas and air and pethidine as pain relief.

Thousands of people appealed the 2007 decision to close the maternity and neonatal intensive care units at Salford Royal.

It was reviewed by an independent panel but upheld by then health secretary Alan Johnson, after a maternity shake-up across the whole of Greater Manchester.

Hazel Blears MP, who fought the original decision to close the maternity facilities, said: "I thought it was the wrong decision then and I still think it is the wrong decision.

"But I still think Salford women should have the right to have their babies born in Salford if they want.

"The PCT have to go through three different surveys. They had to check that it was clinically safe, which it is, and they also had to find out if there was enough demand in the community, which there is.

"Now they have to work out if it is worth spending the money.

"We want to get as many people on board as possible, because this is a huge development for the community and it's not a done deal - we need to show that Salford wants this service."

Hazel and Lisa have now written to David Dalton, chief executive of Salford Royal, and Mike Burrows, from the PCT, to persuade them to build the unit.

And now they are encouraging Salford mums to write to them to support the campaign.